Safety blasting-cartridge.



No. 734,684.- PATENTED JULY 28, 190s.v T. F. DURHAM. SAFETY BLASTING CARTRIDGE.

N0 MODEL.

Q -flvanZar i lzi/yeaaas 1770mm VFWWM Mi /"(67027 Zz 7770077 034% mm, I 3? UNITED STATES Patented July 2a, 1905.

' PATENT GFFICE.

SAFETY BLASTlNG-CARTRlDG E.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 734,684, dated July 28, 1908.

Application filed June 11, 1901.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS F. DURHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new' and useful Improvement in Safety Blasting- Oartridges, of which the following is a speci, fication. V

My invention relates. to a new'and useful improvement in safety blasting-cartridges, and has forits object to provide a cartridge which may be exploded in places, such as mines and the like, where inflammable gas exists without igniting such gas. This laccomplish by placing the blasting charge within a receptacle surrounded entirely by liquid or gas adapted to smother the flame arising from the explosion.

With these ends in view this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same, the construction and operation will now be escribed in detail, referring to the accompanymg drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a cartridge, and Fig. 2 a perspective view of the inner receptacle adapted to hold the blasting charge.

In the drawings, A represents a receptacle, preferably a tube, closed at the lower end' and open at the upper end. Ablasting charge B is adapted to be placed in this tube, and a cork O closesthe upper opening, and therefore seals the blasting charge within the tube A. The receptacle A has secured near its upper and lower ends the arms D. These arms extend above and below the ends of the receptacle A and are bent outward, so that .the free ends of the arms are a distance from the receptacle.

E is an outer casing, which is preferably rnade cylindrical in form, and this outer casing E is also closed at its lower end and-open at its upper end. The tube A is adapted to be inserted within this casing E, and the ends Serial No. 64,081. (No model.)

of the lower arms D will come in contact with the bottom of the casing E, and thus hold the bottom of the receptacle A a distance from the bottom of the casing E, and both these upper and lower arms being bent outward will come in contact with the wall of the casing E at dilferent points, and thus hold the receptacle A in the center of the casing E, which will leave a space entirely surrounding the receptacle A within the casing E. The arms being of metal will absorb a certain amount of jar or vibration as the cartridge is being handled. The space is adapted to be filled with liquid or gas which will smother or extinguish fire. The upper end of the casing is then closed by a cork or cap F, which will rest upon the upper ends of the upper arms D, and thus leave a space between the lower end of the cork F and the upper surface of the cork C. When all these parts are assembled, it will be seen that the receptacle A is surrounded upon all sides, top, and bottom with a fluid which will smother or extinguish the flame as soon as the explosion occurs. This will prevent the spark or flame from coming in contact with the inflammable gas; but the effect of the explosion will be increased rather'than diminished, because of the resistance presented by the'surrounding wall of liquid or gas.

G represents electric wires which are adapted to pass downward over the corks F and C and be connected with a sparking arrangement upon the interior of the receptacle A.

It is a well-known fact that many accidents occur by the igniting of inflammable gases from the flash resulting from a blast. These gases in exploding do great damage both to property and life. These gases accumulate, and their presence is not easily detected, or otherwise the blast would not be made.

The advantage of my invention is that a blast can be made with perfect safety even in the presence of considerable inflammable gas, for when the cartridge explodes the flame has to first pass through the wall of liquid or gas, which will extinguish or smother the flame before it can come in contact with the surrounding atmosphere.

Of course I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction here shown, as slight modifications could be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully. described my invention, what I claim as new and useful is 1. In a blasting-cartridge, an inner and outer receptacle, each having a closed lower end, a fire-extinguishing agent in the outer receptacle in which the inner receptacle is immersed, an explosive in the inner receptacle, arms on the ends of the inner receptacle each of which extends diagonally beyond the end of the inner receptacle and engages the ends of the outer casing at the inner periphery thereof.

2. In a mining-cartridge, a. casing adapted to contain a. fire-extinguishingliquid, a cartridge withinsaid casing, and means for exploding the cartridge, in combination with separated tongues secured to the shell of the cartridge and extending salient therefrom in respectively reversed and upwardly and downwardly directions.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS E. DURHAM.

Witnesses:

MARY E. HAMER, GEORGE W. STEM). 

